Range construction



Aug. 1942- E. H. LOCKWOOD RANGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec'. 28, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Eaw/n h. Lockwood ATTO RNEY ug- E. H. LOCKWOOD 2,291,737

RANGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 28, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR EdW/h /i lac/(Wood A:FTORINEY Aug. 4, 1942. E. H. LOCKWOOD 2,291,737

RANGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 28, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR t'dW/n H lackn ood 'ATTO'RNEY Aug 4, 1942.

E. H. LOCKWOOD RANGE CONSTRUCTION '6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 28, 1939 no a IILIVENTOR faW/h H [ackwqad 'ATTo'RNEY 4, 1942- E.- H. ,LOCKWOOD 9 RANGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 28, 1959 e Sheets-Sheet 5 l M 7 a0 A 'l INVENTOR ATTCSRNEY Aug. 4, 1942- E. H. LOCKWOOD RANGE CONSTRUCTION 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 28, 1939 m mm T r. mm M 1 L n m w 8 H 6 m, F H m M v u m. H 8 9 v l 1 1 l M v I 0 m m J m 0 i1- 6 M 8 .9 0 I o o F fiv I 1 1 I |||||1.|||W I I l I I l I 1 1 n a a a n w MHF L I i 0 l I 1 l l I l l I I ll Ill I l l I I l l I I l II II II 3 -ATTO RNEY Patented Aug. 4,1942

RANGE coNs'raUc'rroN Edwin H. Lockwood, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Com- I pany, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 28, 1939, Serial No. 311,249 Claims. (Cl. 126-39) My invention relates to range construction and more particularly to a range assembly constructed without an internal supporting structure for the outer walls thereof; and is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 177,726, filed Decem her 2, 1937, and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric 8; Manufacturing Company.

In those ranges known to the art, it has been the practice to have an internal frame or supporting structure about which the assembly has been constructed, that is, upon which the oven linings and compartment drawers are mounted and to which the front and side walls are removably attached. Ranges built in such a manner have been bulky and of relatively great weight. It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a range structure in which the outer walls are supported without the use of an internal frame or supporting structure.

Various attempts have been made to rigidly attach the enclosing walls of ranges directly to an internal frame or supporting structure, for example, by welding or the like. However, this procedure has been found to be entirely unsatisfactory in the manufacture of present day ranges because of the practice of enameling the outersurfaee of the enclosing walls. The enamel, when applied to the rigidly attached enclosing walls, cracks during the baking operation or during shipment thereof because the rigid attachment of the enclosing walls to the frame concentrates strains at the points of attachment. I

It is, therefore, a further object of my invention to provide a range structure having enameled enclosing walls, the exposed and enameled surfaces of which are-relatively independent of internal structure which supports the range oven, doors, etc, whereby the enclosing walls may expand or contract independently of the internal structure without causing the enamel thereon to crack.

Other objects of my invention will either be pointed out specifically in the course of the following description of a device embodying my invention, or will be apparent from such description.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a range embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line IIII of Fig. 1, with parts thereof broken away to better illustrate the invention; r

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the enclosing wall structure of the range including independent supporting structures for the oven linings, compartment drawers, etc.;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view and Fig, 5 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a'partial front elevational view showing one form of'a range support structure;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line VII-VII of Fig.6;

Fig. 8 is a partial elevational view of a range showing a modified form of support therefor;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of Fig. 8; 5

Figs. 10 and 11 are top and side elevat'onal views, respectively, of a reenforcing bracket;

Figs. 12 and Bare respectively a top and a side elevational view of an additional 'reenforcing bracket used within the range;

Figs. 14 and 15 are respectively an end and a top view of the top rear reenforcing bracket;

Figs. 16 and.17 are respectively aside and a front elevational view of an additional angular bracket used within the range;

Figs. 18 and 19 are respectively a top and an end view of clamps used to clamp the top surface of the range to the 'wall structure; and

Figs, 20 and 21 are respectively an elevational and a side view of a gusset used in the walls.

Like reference characters indicate like parts in the several figures.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5 I show a range structure I 0, including an enameled wrap-around enclosing wall structure l2 which embraces a pmrality of spaced compartments l4 and iii, an inner oven wall structure l8 and'drawers 20 respectively..

The enclosing wall structure 12 comprises a plurality of angularly relatedintegral walls, which include enameled side walls 22 and 24, and an enameled front wall 25, which are preferably enameled on their outer surfaces only. The enclosing wall structure I2 is preferably formed from a single sheet of material, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. However, it is to be understood that such wall structure I2 may comprise a plurality of sheets rigidly attached together so as to form a functionally integral structure. Should the wall-structure be formed from a single sheet of sheet material, such material is smoothly bent at the corners to form the junction between the side walls 22, and 24, and the front wall: 25, as shown in Fig. 4.

As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a plurality of unenameled flange portions 26 are bent inwardly from the wall structure l2 at the top and bottom thereof. These flanges 26 provide means for mounting a plurality of rangepart-supporting brackets, as hereinafter described.

The front wall 25 of the enclosing wall struc-.

ture I2 has a plurality of openings Ma and l6a formed therein for entrance into the oven and storage compartments l4 and I6, respectively. These openings Ma and |6a are displaced slightly inwardly from the main surface of the front wall and have laterally extending flanges 28, as shown in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive.

Unenameled corner channel brackets 30 provided with horizontally extending, flanges 32, shown in Figs. 3, 4, 10 and 11 are located intermediate the top and bottom flanges 26 of the wall structure I2, and are displaced inwardly from the inner surface of the side walls 22 and 24 and front wall 25 (see Figs. 3 and 4). After the corner brackets 36 are positioned within the corners of the wall structure l2 between the upper and lower flanges 26, the flanges 32 are rigidly attached to the flanges 26 independently of the enclosing walls, preferably by spot welding, as shown at 34 in Fig. 3. The channel.

brackets 30, although rigidly attached to the flanges 26 of the enclosing walls l2, permit the side and front walls 22, 24, and 25 to move relative to the channel brackets 30.

The channel brackets 30- perform a dual function, namely, they reenforce the corners of the wall structure l2 andalso provide for attachment and support of the internal parts of the The wall structure I2 is, in this instance, enameled in the usual manner, for example, by spraying or dipping. The enamel coating (not shown) is relatively thin and is located, as a general rule, upon the exposed surface only of the outer walls 22, 24 and 25. A portion of the enamel coating may coat the flange portions 26, especially when the enamel is placed upon the wall structure by the dipping process. However, such enamel coating, which is unnecessary on the flanges, may then be wiped oil. to permit the channels and brackets to be attached thereto by welding.

The range structure Ill, including wall structure I2, may thus have an outer coating of en- 'amel-with the enameled wall structure [2 thereof being free to expand and contract during the baking operation without the danger of developrange, such as the oven inner lining l8 and drawers 20.

A vertically extending channel-shaped bracket 36 is likewise attached to the central portion of the wall structure l2 without being directly attached to the front wall 25 and performs a dual function in reenforcing the enameled front wall 25 of the range structure and also supporting portions of the internal range parts, as hereinafter described. The channel bracket 36, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, has a plurality of vertically extending flanges 38 at each side thereof. When the channel member 36 is disposed between the flanges 26 ofthe wall structure l2, the flanges 36 are rigidly attached to flanges 28 of the front oven wall 25 independently of the enameled portions of the front wall 25, preferably by spot welding.

An additional reenforcing member 40, preferably of a channel shape, substantially as shown in Figs. 3, 14 and 15 extends across the topmost portion of the rear of the range structure to join the upper rear corners of the wall structure l2, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The reenforcing member 40 is likewise attached to the flanges 26 of the wall structure independently of the enameled side walls 22 and 24.

It is, therefore, apparent that the range structure Ill primarily comprises theenameled wall structure I 2, which is internally reenforced by the corner channel brackets 36 located in the front corners thereof, the channel member 36 located at the central portion of the front wall and the channel member 46 joining the rear upper corners thereof, independent of the enameled side and front walls thereof. It is further apparent that with such a wall structure, it is not necessary to have a rigid'massive bulky internal frame or supporting structurefor a range, as has ing any cracks or defects in the enamel coating thereon. Further, as the outer walls are independent of the supporting brackets, the range structure may be freely handled and shipped without any danger of concentrated strains on the enamel coatingthereon.

In the assembled range structure a back cover I sheet 42 is attached at the upper rear portion thereof to the channel member 40 and at the lower rear portion to the flanges 26. The back cover sheet 42 has a horizontally extending offset portion 44 located intermediate the ends thereof, upon which a portion of the internal structure, rests, substantially as shown in Fig. 2. .In addition to this, the back cover sheet 42 is provided with a plurality of apertures, such as apertures 46 by means of which the oven inner lining I6 is rigidly attached within the wall structure l2. If it should be desired to use drawers such as drawer 20 shown in Fig. 2, additional apertures 41 may be located within the back cover sheet 42 to support the drawer runner channels 46, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

A horizontally extending supporting plate 54 is mounted at substantially the mid-point of the range or range structure by resting the rear end thereof upon the offset portion 44 of the back cover plate 42, and by having an upwardly protruding end flange portion 52 thereof rigidly attached to the left-hand comer channel bracket 30, as shown in Fig. 3. The horizontal supporting plate 56 is likewise supported at its second or right front comer by being rigidly attached to the channel bracket 36 in a similar manner. It

is, therefore, apparent that with the horizontal bracket rigidly attached to the brackets 26 and been the case in prior art ranges, and that the outer walls may move relative to the supports without any straining actions produced therebetween.

36, as described, at its front end and by resting on the offset portion 44 ofthe back cover plate 42, such supporting plate will adequately support the oven insulating material (not shown) that is located intermediate the inner oven wall II and the horizontal plate. It is further apparent that of the wall structure l2. If desired, the oven wall hning l8 may then be rigidly attached to the oven wall structure by spot welding the flanges 28 and 54 together. The oven lining I8 is thus attached to the wall structure [2 without being directly attached to the enameled outer walls 22, 24 or 25 so as to apply any damaging strain thereto. A plurality of Z-shaped brackets 56 are positioned upon the horizontal plate 50 at the rear end thereof to support the back end of the oven lining l8, substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

Should it be desired to have the oven lining l8 removably attached to the oven wall structure l2, a plurality of eye-bolts 58 may be rigidly attached to the rear wall of the oven lining [8 at such a position that, as the oven wall lining I8 is positioned within the wall structure l2, the eyebolts 58 extend through the aperture 46 in the back cover plate 42, whereupon wing nuts 60 are attached to the eye-bolts 58, permitting the oven inner lining I8 to be drawn tightly against the flange 28 of the wall structure l2, as hereinabove described.

With the oven inner lining mounted within the wall structure in such a manner, it is apparent that suitable insulating material such as rock wool or the like (not shown) may be located between the inner oven wall lining l8 and the enameled walls of wall structure l2, so as to adequately insulate the oven therefrom. In addition to this, with the horizontally mounted plate 50 located below the inner oven wall lining I 8 suitable insulating material may be located therebetween also. Should it be desired to have the range with only one oven substantially like that shown, a vertically extending plate (not shown) may be positioned substantially in line with the channel bracket 36 and rigidly attached thereto at the front portion and at the back cover plate 42 with the rear portion, whereupon suitable insulating material may be positioned between the oven inner wall lining l8 and such vertically mounted plate. However, if it should be desired to have two ovens located horizontally side by The door hinge mechanism 66, which is adjustably mounted upon the horizontally supporting plate 50, as indicated by screws 69 (Fig. 2)

independent of the enameled outer walls forms no part of my present invention, and is fully set forth in a copending application of E. E. Sutherland and L. E. Lown, filed December 1, 1937,

Serial No. 177,722, and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company.

It is, therefore, apparent that, with a ange structure utilizing a wrap-aroundenclosing wall structure comprising a plurality of integral side, it would not be necessary to use such a vertically mounted plate, inasmuch as the insulating material may be placed directly between the two ovens on the walls.

Should it be desired to slidably mount drawers within the compartments IE, it is merely necessary to position suitable channel members, or the like, 48, within the range assembly where they may be rigidly attached to the channel brackets 36 at the front ends thereof and to the back cover plate 42 at the other end. The drawer members 20, as shown in Fig. 2, may then be readily mounted or slid within the compartments IS without exerting any damaging strains upon the enameled outer walls. It is understood that if drawers 20 are to be operatively disposed with in the compartments l6, such drawers 20 have front covers 62 constructed in such a manner that they will extend within the inwardly pressed portion of the openings I6a which are formed by the flanges 28a. With drawers mounted within the enclosing wall structure 12 in such a manner, it is apparent that they will, when closed, form a continuous front portion of the range structure substantially as shown in Fig. l.

A swingably mounted oven door 64 is positioned within the aperture M by means of a hinged mechanism 66 including a hinged lever 68, substantially as shown in Fig. 2. With the oven door mounted in such a manner, it is apparent that as the door is closed it will likewise be substantially in line with the front portion of the range structure.

enameled outer walls and inwardly positioned enameled channels and brackets operatively associated therewith, substantially as hereinabove described, such wall structure, through the cooperation of the internally mounted channels and brackets or range-part supporting means, readily supports the oven inner wall lining, oven insulating material and utensil supporting drawers within the enclosing wall structure without causing any damaging stresses or strains within the enameled outer walls and at the same time affords necessary expansion and contraction of such outer walls relative to the interior supporting members.

It is further apparent that with arange struc-- ture formed in a manner as hereinabove described, such structure may be readily placed upon the floor or any other suitable supporting device without the use or aid of internally extending leg or support members, as suchrange structure may be positioned upon the floor supporting structure by merely having the range as described above, rest thereon.

The range structure as hereinabove described may, alternatively to sitting directly on the floor,

be supportedupon any suitable supporting structure such as the toe space structure 10 as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7, or by means of suitable legs 12 as shown in Figs. 8 and 9'. I

The toe space supporting structure 10 is formed primarily of a channel member which is bent so as to form a main front portion 14 and two side portions 16 substantially 'asshown in Fig. 7. An additional smaller channel member 18, formed in a similar manner, may be positioned in the rear portion of the main channel member III for reenforcing the rear end thereof, substantially as shown in Fig. 7. The smaller channel portion I8 may be rigidly attached to and within the larger channel 10 by being spot welded thereto or in any other suitable manner. Gusset plates 80, as shown in Figs. 20 and 21, may be positioned within the corners of the channel members I4, 16 and 18 of the supporting member 10 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. 1

The supporting structure 10 may then be positioned beneath the range structure ID or wall support l2 formed as hereinabove described in such a manner that the flange portions ll of the channel members 14 and I6 will be substantially in line with the lower flange portions 26 of the wall structure l2. The supporting structure 10 is rigidly attached thereto by spot welding or riveting or in any other suitable manner. Should the supporting structure 10 be utilized as shown in Fig. 2, the back cover plate 42 extends down to and is rigidly attached to the rear channel portion 18 by means of nuts and bolts 82 which extend through apertures 84 in the channel member 18.

When the range structure is supported by means of the supporting structure 10, the front wall 25 of the wall structure I2 is joined to the front portion of the supporting structure Ill through the cooperation of channel member 86 and an angle bracket 96 shown in Figs. 16 and 17. The angle bracket 96 is positioned at the lower portion of the range structure and rigidly attached to the front wall portion by spot welding to the channel member 36 substantially as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, whereupon the inwardly extending portion 98 of the angular bracket 86 is readily attached to the supporting structure III by spot welding.

Should it be desired to support the wall structure I 2 and range ill by means of legs, such as when the range does not have the lower drawer compartments l6 operatively associated therewith, a plurality of gussets 86 and 88 are located in the front corners thereof substantially as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The gussets 86 and 88 are rigidly attached to the wall structure l2 by being located therein and attached to the lower flange portion 26 thereof. With a range mounted in such a manner and being devoid of the lower drawer compartment I 6, it is apparent that the gusset 86 will be in close proximity with the inner oven lining I8 located in the compartment l4. Accordingly, the gusset plate 86 will have an aperture 90 located therein to permit the operation of a suitable counterweight mechanism (not shown) for the hinge mechanism 66. An additional angle member 92 is located across the rear portions of the range structure I0 and rigidly attached to the lower portion of the wall structure l2 by attachment to lower flanges 95, substantially as shown in Fig. 9, as an additional brace or support for the range structure. It is, therefore, apparent that any suitable legs 12 may be rigidly attached to the,gussets 86 and 88 and to the angle member 82 and flange 26 through the use of suitable apertures 84 located therein substantially as shown.

It is, therefore, apparent that with a range formed in accordance with my invention, such range structure may be adequately-supported by merely setting the structure on the floor, whereupon the range wall structure will function as a support therefor, or such range structure may be set upon any suitable supporting structure 16, such as hereinabove described, or may be readily supported by means of suitable legs 12.

Various other further modifications may be made in the apparatus embodying my invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are im posed by the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a range body, the combination of an outer, continuously-extending metallic wrapper sheet forming two vertically-extending side walls and a front wall of the range body, said Wrapper sheet being provided with an external ceramic coating bonded to the metal wrapper sheet to" provide a pleasing appearance, substantially horizontally-extending internal flanges projecting from said front and side walls at the top and bottom portions thereof, internal range structure including an oven liner disposed within the confines of the wrapper sheet, vertically-extending members for supporting the internal range structure disposed in the two front corner portions of the wrapper sheet and in an intermediate front portion thereof, said vertically-extending supporting members being disposed adgacent to the wrapper sheet out of contact with inner surfaces opposite exposed outer surfaces of the wrapper bottom portions thereof, internal sheet and having inturned substantially horizontally-extending flanges provided at their upper and lower ends, and means for fixedly attaching the horizontally-extending inturned flanges of at least one of the vertically-extending members to adjacent horizontally-extending flange portions of the wrapper sheet.

2. In a range body, the combination of an outer continuously-extending metallic wrapper sheet a ing the internal range structure disposed in the two front comer portions of the wrapper sheet and in an intermediate portion thereof, said vertically-extending supporting members being disposed adjacent to the wrapper sheet out of contact with inner surfaces opposite exposed outer surfaces of the wrapper sheet and having a vertically-extending flange thereon, and means for fixedly securing the vertically-extending flange of at least one of the vertically-extending members to the vertically-extending flange on said wrapper sheet.

3. In a range body, the combination of an outer continuously-extending metallic wrapper sheet forming two vertically-extending side walls and a front wall of the range body, said wrapper sheet being provided with an external ceramic coating bonded to the metal wrapper sheet to provide a pleasing appearance and also being provided with an access opening in its front wall, said wrapper sheet having a vertical inwardly ofl'set flange extending along a vertical edge of the access opening, substantially horizontallyextending internal flanges projecting from said front and side walls at the top and bottom portions thereof, internal range structure including an oven liner disposed within the wrapper sheet, vertically-extending members for supporting the internal range structure disposed in the two front corner portions of the wrapper sheet and in an intermediate front portion thereof, said vertically-extending supporting members being disposed adjacent to the wrapper sheet and having inturned substantially horizontally-extending flanges at their upper and lower ends and having a vertically-extending flange thereon, means for fixedly attaching the horizontally-extending inturned flanges of at least one of the vertically-extending members to adjacent horizontally-extending flange portions of the wrapper sheet and means for fixedly attaching the vertically-extending flange of at least one of the vertically-extending members to said verticallyextending flange on said wrapper sheet.

4. In a range body, the combination of an outer, continuously-extending metallic wrapper sheet forming two vertically-extending side walls and a front wall of the range body, said wrapper sheet being provided with an external ceramic coating bonded to the metal wrapper sheet to provide a pleasing appearance, substantially horizontally-extending internal flanges projecting from said front and side walls at the top and range structure including an oven liner disposed within the confines of the wrapper sheet, a vertically-extending member for supporting the internal range structure disposed adjacent to the front of the wrapper sheet out of contact with inner surfaces opposite exposed outer surfaces of the wrapper sheet and having intumed substantially horizontally-extending flanges at its upper and lower ends and means for fixedly attaching the horizontally-extending inturned flanges of said vertically-extending member to adjacent horizontally-extending flange portions of the wrapper sheet.

5. In a range body, the combination of an outer continuously-extending metallic wrapper sheet forming two vertically-extending side walls and a front wall of the range body, said wrapper sheet being provided with an access opening in its front wall and with an external ceramic coating bonded to the metal wrapper sheet to provide a pleasing appearance, said wrapper sheet having a vertical inwardly oflset' flange extending along a vertical edge of said access opening, internal range structure including an oven liner disposed within the confines of the wrapper sheet, a vertically-extending member for supporting the internal range structure disposed adjacent the front of the wrapper sheet out of contact with inner surfaces opposite exposed outer surfacesof the wrapper sheet having a vertically-extending flange thereon and means for fixedly securing the vertical1y-extending flange of said vertically-extending member to the vertically-extending flange on said-wrapper sheet.

EDWIN H. LOCKWOOD. 

